Tag: Bible Verse

“Return to Me”

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“Return to Me . . . then you shall not be moved,” Jeremiah 4:1, NKJV

There is something to be said about being in the safety of the arms of the one you love. It’s a hold that fiercely embraces you, daring one to step between. In it you not only find love but you feel the truth of all this person’s emotions toward you. You are secured. You are established. Nothing can tear you away from the warmth and protection you feel at this moment.

And yet, as most movies and books go, there comes the drama. In the drama comes the reason for departure. The part of the story that makes you wonder, “Will they ever be united again? Will they ever really know how one another feels?” It’s a typical storyline, but I must admit I never tire of it (makes me want to go pick up a book right now).

In those stories, not until the two parties separate do they realize just how much they needed the other. All of a sudden, the love they felt for one another reignites and in a desperate attempt to save the relationship, somehow, someway, they run back to the safety of each other’s arms where they can rebuild upon the love that was once felt.

Can I tell you something? God has never fallen out of love with you! As a matter of fact, He has done everything possible to try to keep you safely in His arms where He can take care of you and love on you. Yet, and still, the drama unfolds that leads the heart of man away to look after their own pursuits. What then of the love that God felt for you? It’s still there!

His love has never left just because we did. His love has never stopped embracing even when we didn’t return the embrace. His love has always been on fire for you and I, even when we tried to extinguish it. His love never quits seeking reconciliation because He wants us with Him!

This was the truth that He was trying to get across to the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah’s job was to relate to the people of Israel God’s undying passion for them. He tried to convince them that the drama of going their own way wasn’t worth it. Life would be so much better if they would stay where love could keep them and care for them. But, unfortunately, as mankind does, they thought they knew what was best. Love was not on their mind at that moment. As most stories play out, they couldn’t see past what they thought they wanted.

Yet, God is still pleading through the mouth of the prophet, “Return to Me.” If this were a movie, after witnessing the passionate plea for one to come back, to stay in my arms forever, there would not be a dry eye in the house. But, this is what God is doing! He is crying out to His people to not turn away, “DON’T GO! COME BACK! PLEASE, COME BACK!”

As the movies go, so did it with Israel. The pleas go unanswered. The Lover has no choice but to let His loved ones go, hoping that one day they will come to their senses and return. To make a long story short, Israel had to be let go for several decades before they would come to truly appreciate the love that God has for them. Don’t let the same be said of us today.

God is still waiting with open arms. If we have not held on as tightly as we should – return. If some other thing or person has attracted our desires more – return. If we have turned a deaf ear to the pleas of love – return. If we have refused the embrace – run back and return to those arms of love.

God promises when you wholeheartedly return, “Then you shall not be moved.” Why? Now you are safe where you belong. You are in the place of promise and His promise is this, “The Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one,” (2 Thessalonians 3:3, NKJV). Faithful. Establish. Guard. That’s what He does for the one who stays in His arms of love.

God is crying out. Don’t let those cries go unanswered. Return today!

Learning to Let Go!

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learning to let go 2 - my pic

Last week I took a much needed vacation with family and friends.  I haven’t had a real one in years.  Every part of me, inside and out, needed a break from schedules, routines, and the normal day-to-day.

During this vacation I was privileged to do and experience things I haven’t before.  Two of the things especially of note were the zip lines and the quick jump.  Both required jumping from the top of a high platform or rock wall and both really stretched me out of my comfort zone.

Don’t get me wrong; zip lining was a blast, but in order to get down off the landing platform I was attached to a sort of supportive rope that would grab you and lower you gently as you made your descent.  In order to activate the rope the instructor told me to just step off.

Huh?!

Watching others from the ground it didn’t seem that big of a deal but standing on the platform for yourself was a whole other story. It was higher than it appeared and I am not too fond of heights to begin with.  Standing there looking down the instructor repeated her directions: just step off or jump.

Just step off or jump . . .? ? ?

With my eyes I saw the rope catch and lower each person that used it.  It never failed to do its job.  But, my body had trouble taking that leap of faith.  All I simply had to do was let go and depend on the equipment to do its job.

A lot of times we face difficulties and challenges in life, things that stretch us way out of where we are used to being.  Then, we are asked to trust God; to just step out and depend on Him as our unfailing equipment.  Often our response is the same as mine standing atop that platform.

Huh?!

The mind knows all the promises of God.  The heart has digested His Word and has been filled with His Spirit, yet to just step out and let go  . . .

It’s a lot harder than we first imagined.  To let oneself freefall into trust where you have absolutely no control but to lean on Him takes courage.

But, this is the kind of courage and trust that makes our heavenly Father’s heart swell.  Knowing that our confidence is so strongly planted in Him, we just hold on and depend on Him to take us down from those high platforms of life – well, let’s just say, that’s all He ever asks from us is to lean and depend on Him.

Every challenging story in the Bible to every hero in the great hall of faith (Hebrews 11), each one started with that one-step-of-faith moment; one learning-to-let-go experience, trusting wholly in God for the end results.

Are you facing a challenge today?  Are you being stretched beyond your comfort zone?  Do you have goals that seem too big for you to accomplish by yourself?

You don’t have to do it alone.  Let go, and let God.  See where the end results will be in Him.

As far as those high platforms for the zip line and quick jump, I eventually sat down and scooted off.  No flash or show.  The rope was activated and did its job.  The point is I did it, in my own way, and let go.

Step off and let God’s power be activated in your life today.

“Receive God’s Help!”

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psalm 121:1-2 Wallpaper

“I will lift up my eyes to the hills – from whence comes my help?  My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth,” Psalm 121:1-2

“Me, myself and I,” a phrase commonly known to us all.  It usually comes on the heels of an aggravating event or from dealing with the frustration of a letdown because one depended on someone else to do something for them and they didn’t follow through.  Or, how about this one, “If you want something done right you have to do it yourself!”  Another frustrating sentiment spurned by the letdowns of others.

Here we just see them as phrases, just something we blurt out because of the emotions that stir within us when we feel we can’t get that help we need from someone.  The sad part of it all is the reality that this has become the prevailing attitude in the world today.  It is a mindset that has become detached from the cares of humanity; not in a good way.

Many people are wandering adrift in the world.  Day by day they go through their daily routines really believing that they are in this alone.  Wandering and questioning, “From whence comes my help?”  More often than not, that questioning person does not know that there is One who stands at the ready to appeal and work on behalf of those who call out to Him.  Not realizing this great truth causes them look to their own selves once again, reaffirming that self-sufficient attitude of “Me, myself and I.”

I believe God likes goal-setters.  I believe God loves to see His people be filled with the zeal of being a real go-getter.  I say that because God has never, ever promoted laziness.  God has equipped mankind with a mind to think and gifts to operate in and He wants to see the fulfilling of all of that to come to pass.  But, and here’s where the warning bells go off, when one tries to operate independently of God with an “I don’t need Him” attitude, buddy, that’s when we got a problem!

“Can I get some help around here?”  Oh, if that isn’t a familiar cry to us all.  When life feels at loose ends and everything just seems to be unraveling before us we often wonder where can we get help from?  The writer of this psalm found his help by lifting his eyes up.  The human eye tells one where to focus.  As I sit here on my couch writing this I keep peeping out of the window.  In line of my view are a bunch of beautiful trees that are gently swaying with the occasional breeze. Every time I look out at them I feel a certain little measure of restfulness and peace. Because this is what my eyes see it relaxes me.

How much more for the one who chooses to focus on that Sovereign, Omnipotent Presence and truly realize He’s there?  Not only is He there but He is ready to be our help.  “The righteous cry, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles,” Psalm 34:17.  Deliverance is there.  Help is here.  God loves a “can do” attitude, but not a “can do it without Him” attitude.  Especially, since He loves us so much as to be the offering for our much needed help.  I have to receive of His help daily.  Zeal, and even talent, will only get you so far.  I can’t be so high and mighty to think that I can do even the basic things without His help.  So, today I want to receive God’s help.  What about you?

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“Made For Green”

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My Project 392-001

 

I love this time of the year when the trees are finally in full bloom.  Ahhh. . ., finally!  The green branches, with their beautiful blooms, sway in the breeze and they speak to my heart, “I was made for green.”

I feel renewed with the turning of the season.  There is a sense of this is how it was supposed to be.  The trees were made for green and so were we.  I could be wrong but when God placed man in the Garden of Eden I don’t think there were any winters there (just my opinion, but check out Adam and Eve’s clothing attire, or lack thereof).  I don’t think the trees were to ever be bare.  I don’t think the branches were to ever cease having fruit sprout from them.  I think paradise was just that, a never-ending green that sings to the symphony of one’s heart that they are where God placed them.

There’s a lot of ugliness we see in this world.  Once, it was not so.  Our original design was not to live in an environment of sin and decay.  It was not designed to exist with dead and dreary things.  It was designed to behold the beauty of God through His creation.  We were designed to live in God’s best!  We were made for so much more!

In this life we have to deal with what the world has become now.  But, oh, that day is coming where we shall once again know the pleasures of paradise.  Where we once again will enjoy the best of God’s design.  I personally can’t wait because I was made for green 🙂

“Don’t Be Trapped!”

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My Project 415-001

“Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me,

for You are my strength,” Psalm 31:4, NKJV.

 

I would venture to say that no one intentionally falls into a trap.  Or, at least, I hope not.  As our verse indicates traps, by nature, are devices designed to work secretly.  That’s their goal.

A few years ago we started having a critter issue.  You know, the kind that only looked cute on cartoons when outwitting cats, but in your house they are the scum of the earth.  Yeah, that kind!  Once they’re in, it’s hard to get them out.  I mean, really hard!

We tried every conceivable thing from poison to sticky traps to snap traps.  While some snap traps seemed to work it never eliminated the problem while in that residence.

There was even times when the little critters would amaze me.  One little smart guy did everything possible to avoid the traps that were laid for him.  I even watched it climb over a snap trap without it shutting because he used the baseboards.  Genius little guy!

Eventually, we acquired cats.  A lot of good they did, but that’s a whole new story.

Traps are no more fun for us than they are for those critters we try to catch in them.  No matter the cause or the reason, traps are designed to steal, kill and destroy.

Now, where have we heard that before? O yeah, when Jesus warns us that, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy . . .” (John 10:10a, NKJV).  And, a thief is a master at being sly enough to set those unforeseeable traps so that he can obtain what does not belong to him.

It is so easy in the day to day scurrying about to become victim to the many insidious traps that are laid to snare the unaware.  With technology the way it is one would never have to even see the thief or the trap set in order to be robbed.

That’s why, we as a people, go through great lengths of installing anti-virus’ and firewall protection.  We try all sorts of password protected ways to keep what is ours.  We can now even hire a service to watch over and safeguard our valuables because we realize that we don’t have eyes in the back of our heads.  We realize we are not omniscient (all-knowing).  And, we realize we can’t be omnipresent (everywhere at the same time).

Because we are so limited in capacity and strength, we outsource the responsibility to others to help keep us from the snares.  Our spiritual life should be no less protected.

How often do we go through our days completely oblivious to the spiritual dangers that have been laid in our pathway?  And, before we know it, our feet are in a “net” of trouble and we don’t know how to get out.

That’s when the reality sets in that we don’t know everything and our own personal strength is very limited in trying to pull us out and keep us out of those nets.  That’s why the psalmist recognized the only escape from the net was by the strength of God.  He who knows all and who has never floundered in anything can keep our feet on solid ground.

How many traps in life could have been avoided if we had gone in His strength first?  How many times would our eyes have been opened to the devices of the enemy, (2 Cor. 2:11), if our spiritual eyes had looked first to Him who is able to “pluck my feet out of the net,” (Ps. 25:15b, NKJV)?

Spiritually speaking, I don’t want to see those traps rob us of life like it does for those little critters.  Especially, when Jesus, after giving the warning of the thief, admonishes us to believe, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly,” (John 10:10b, NKJV).

I like that thought better.  How about you?

“My eyes are ever toward the Lord . . .” (Ps. 25:15a, NKJV).   That’s how we have abundant life and avoid the traps!

Why do you believe?

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My Project 528-001

“Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he raised from the dead. But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.” John 12:9-11

What is your personal testimony that draws you to Jesus?  How, when, and what circumstances did He touch your heart to convince you He is Lord?

We all have a beginning of our faith.  Even if you were raised in church from the cradle there has to be a time when you interacted with Jesus on a personal level and welcomed Him into your life as Savior.

As days go by and hardships intrude upon the peace that drew us to believe in Him, space opens up and that initial faith that was once strong may take a blow, making one feel disparaged and weaker than before.  What then?

If you will allow me, let me draw your mind back to that beginning faith.  There’s an old song that says,

“Take me back, Take me back dear Lord

To the place where I first received You

Take me back, Take me back dear Lord where I

first believed” (Andrae Crouch/Take Me Back Lyrics/Lyricsmode.com)

Every once in a while our faith needs a spiritual tune-up.  We need to remember why we believe.  We need our personal revelation of heart to center us anew on our Savior.

Lazarus’ raising from the dead may have encouraged some to embrace the way of this faith in his day, but what swayed you?  Through the trials and storms remember why you believe.  Remember what He has done for you before and let those sweet memories pick your heart up and carry you closer to Jesus today.

Blessings.